


The Words On His Lips

by Areiton



Category: Supernatural
Genre: Angel Castiel, Castiel-centric, Dean is Bad at Feelings, Emotional Hurt/Comfort, Established Relationship, M/M
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2016-08-22
Updated: 2016-08-22
Packaged: 2018-08-10 06:58:22
Rating: Not Rated
Warnings: Major Character Death
Chapters: 1
Words: 691
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/7834735
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/Areiton/pseuds/Areiton
Summary: <blockquote class="userstuff">
              <p>Dean doesn't say the words often. It's hard for him, still, even years later.<br/>Castiel doesn't mind. He says them enough for both of them.<br/>But when Dean does say them. Castiel knows that he means it.</p>
            </blockquote>





	The Words On His Lips

_I love you._

Dean doesn't say those words, not ever. It used to bother Castiel. It used to drive him crazy. Because he loved to say them. Loved watching the flush climb in Dean’s cheeks and turn the tips of his ears red before he mutters, _fucking sap_ , and drags Cas in for a kiss.

He likes whispering _I love you_ when he's stretched out under Dean in the dark of their room, Dean moving in him, loves the way Dean groans and comes, always comes, just from listening to that whisper.

He likes shouting it across the room when they're fighting and watching Dean's eyes go wide and defenseless and then flare with hungry love before he shouts back, _You’re an ass!_ and then drags Cas off to kiss him senseless.

Castiel likes watching Sam smirk when Cas leans into Dean's space at whatever diner they're in, stealing a french fry and murmuring _love you_ and Dean smiles into his coffee and presses a kiss to his forehead.

Castiel is used to being the one who says the words. The one who speaks them for both of them. It's been that way for years and he doesn't need to hear them from Dean.

Sometimes he thinks that because Dean so rarely speaks his love, it means more.

He did, the day they were married.

Eyes shining, Chuck grinning at them and Sam crying a few feet away, he'd leaned in and brushed his lips against Cas, fingers tight on the back of Castiel’s neck and whispered, _love you, angel._

The first time they fucked he said it, and again the first time they fought after they married, when Cas retreated to Heaven and Dean roared off in the Impala, and they avoided each other for two weeks. When he finally found Dean, the hunter was drunk and looked like shit and he started sobbing as soon as Cas murmured his name, a babbling litany of _I'm sorry I love you don't leave god Cas I love you._

He didn't leave after that.

Definitely not after a fight.

But never _really_ left, even when he had to for a case. Couldn't imagine a world where he wasn't at Dean's side, whispering the thing that Dean doesn't.

But it's rare. In all their years together, in all of the epic love they have shared, Cas can count on one hand how many times he's heard Dean says _I love you._

Which is why he knows this is serious.

Why he knows, the fear shaking in Dean's voice and the choked off sobs from Sam, the way his fingers tingle before they go numb.

He knows this is serious.

He doesn't want this. Not yet.

 _Dean_ , he gasps and _**there**. _ There's the pain, ripping through him and fuck.

He doesn't need to look to know it's bad.

 _Cas, baby, come on, just hang in there. Sam, fucking work faster_ , Dean grinds out and his hands on Cas’s shoulders, his hands are the only thing Cas can feel beyond the pain and it's grounding him. Holding him.

 _**Don't let go.** _ He wants to beg. But his lips aren't working right and when he opens his mouth, the only noise is a pained broken moan.

 _Dean._ Sam's voice, wrecked and defeated and Dean leans into him. His entire body curled over Castiel and it makes him sigh. This relieved thing because Dean is **_here_ ** , and he _**loves** _ Dean. Nothing will happen to him when Dean is crouched over him, holding him. Shielding him.

So he whispers. _I love you._ And Dean sobs. Fucking sobs, his tears smearing across Cas's face, with the blood and Cas would smile if he could because hasn't that always been them? Blood and tears and bittersweet smiles.

Dean whispers, _I love you, Castiel. I love you so fucking much, angel._

It's the last thing the angel hears. He dies there, a smile on his face, ripped to pieces protecting his hunters, his husband and best friend. He dies with love on his lips and the promise that he is loved wrapped around him and Dean, always Dean, holding him together.

**Author's Note:**

> I made myself cry with this. It was supposed to be fluffy. It wasn't....I'm sorry.


End file.
